1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device integrity monitoring apparatus for monitoring the integrity of an electronic device that outputs a control signal to an operating device whose operation is to be controlled.
2. Description of Related Art
As an apparatus for detecting a failure in an electronic device that outputs a control signal to an actuator serving as an operating device whose operation is to be controlled, JP 2006-240612A discloses an ACE (Actuator Control Electronics) provided in an actuator control apparatus.
The actuator control apparatus disclosed in JP 2006-240612A is configured as an apparatus that controls the operation of a control surface of an aircraft. Also, the actuator control apparatus is provided with an FCC (Flight Control Computer) and the above-described ACE. The FCC is configured as a device that generates an instruction signal for controlling the operation of a control surface. The ACE is configured as an electronic device that outputs a control signal for controlling the actuator for driving the control surface based on the above-described instruction signal.
The ACE of the actuator control apparatus disclosed in JP 2006-240612A is provided with a control unit (31) serving as a digital arithmetic portion that generates an instruction signal for controlling the operation of the actuator based on an instruction signal for commanding the operation of the control surface that is generated by the FCC. This ACE is further provided with a monitoring unit (41) serving as a digital arithmetic portion that monitors an abnormality relating to the operation of the ACE. This monitoring unit is configured to perform the same process as the above-described control unit. This provides a configuration that enables monitoring of the occurrence of a generic failure, that is, a failure that may occur commonly among the same pieces of software or hardware.
JP 2008-505004A discloses a system for managing the structural integrity of a mobile platform of an aircraft or the like although this system is not an electronic device integrity monitoring apparatus for monitoring the integrity of an electronic device that outputs a control signal to an operating device whose operation is to be controlled. In JP 2008-505004A, an aircraft is disclosed as a mobile platform whose structural integrity is monitored by the system, and a fuselage, a pair of wings, a vertical stabilizer, and a pair of horizontal stabilizers are disclosed as structural elements that are monitored by the system.